28 Famous Brand Logos With Their Hidden Meanings

May 15, 2020 , You Jing Ng

In every simple and complex logo design, each has its meanings and symbolism presented. From the type of colour, design and font are carefully chosen to reflect the brand of a company. Among all the logos that you have seen every single day, have you ever thought about the reason why the logos are designed in that manner? Here are 28 famous brand logos that you may not have realised that they actually have a hidden meaning behind it.

Nike

Nike’s simple logo is designed to convey speed and motion. It is also the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson, a student designer who was only paid $35 to create it.

Chanel

The double “C” logo is more than just the initials of Coco Chanel. She was inspired by the vaulted arches and the stained glass windows of the Château de Cremat, a castle where she often attended events.

Dell

Founder Michael Dell kick-started his business with the purpose to “turn the world on its ear,” an ambition represented by the slanted “E.

Uniqlo

The use of katakana(a Japanese syllabary) evokes an Asian red-ink seal, subliminally describing a level of craftsmanship that is worth including their name.

Formula 1(old logo)

The negative space between the black F and the red racing stripes creates the number 1.

Versace

Versace’s logo is a portrait of Medusa. Gianni Versace chose the portrait because he wanted his fashion to be so visually stunning that it captures everyone’s heart forever.

Chevrolet

Co-founder William C.Durant claims he was inspired by a Parisian hotel wallpaper pattern he saw in 1908. However, his daughter said he drew it on a napkin during dinner, while his said the Coalettes logo he saw in a newspaper bought the idea.

Domino’s

The three dots signifies the three original Domino’s location. The initial plan was to include a dot for every new location. The plan did not come to fruition after the franchise had expanded beyond the expectations of the owner.

Hershey’s Kisses

There’s a sideways silhouette of a Hershey’s Kiss between the “K” and the “I.”

Apple

Designer Rob Janoff spent his time drawing apples for inspiration. He took a bite out of an apple as an experiment, then realised that “bite” sounds similar to the computer term “byte.”

BMW

BMW was initially known for manufacturing aircraft engines, which led people to believe that the checkered logo means a white propeller and a blue sky behind it. In fact, the logo symbolizes the flags of Bavaria.

Gillette

The “G” and the “I” have been perfectly cut across to signify the precision and sharpness o their razors.

LG

LG’s logo contains a winking face and the letters “L” and “G.” The “L” is the nose, and the “G” is the face shape.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola discovered that the Denmark flag is “hidden” in their logo. They embraced this wholesome coincidence by putting together an interactive advertisement at the Copenhagen Airport that handed out flags.

Sony Vaio

Hyundai

The “H” in the circle symbolizes “Hyundai,” but it also represents two individuals meeting in the middle with a firm handshake.

Pinterest

The “P” ends with a point like a pin.

Adidas

The iconic three-stripe design was first used on footwear in 1949. In 1997, the stripes were slanted to form a mountain, representing the obstacles and challenges that people need to overcome.

McDonald’s

The “M’ of the Golden Arches represents the first letter of “McDonald’s,” but there’s also a more subtle meaning. Psychologist and design consultant Louis Cheskin intended for the rounded “M” to present nourishing breasts.

Toyota

The three overlapping ellipses symbolize the unification of the hearts of customers and the heart of Toyota products. Another interesting act is that all of the letters of “Toyota” are presented in the logo.

Google

The Google logo uses the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow except for the letter “L” which is green. Ruth Kedar, the logo designer, describes how this is meant to symbolize how Google challenges the rules.

Starbucks

The siren was subtly asymmetrically designed to make her appear more welcoming, worldly and human.

Pepsi

The redesign of the Pepsi logo in 2009 cost $1 million. A schematic design indicates that the logo was inspired by the Parthenon, the Mona Lisa, the Hindu numerical harmony, the earth’s gravitational field and the speed of light.

Amazon

The arrow links “A” to “Z” because Amazon has everything to sell from A to Z.

Baskin Robbins

Number 31 stands for their belief that guests should have the chance to explore a fun, new flavor of ice cream every day of the month.

FedEx

There is an arrow between the “E” and “X” of “Ex” that symbolizes speed.

What other famous brand logos that has their own hidden meaning? Leave us your thoughts on the comment sections below. Head over to Jobstore.com and unveil your next job opportunity.

You Jing is a content writer who writes career and lifestyle contents to inspire job seekers and employers alike on their journey to work-life balance, empowerment and transformation in their career path.